Shopping Cart With Passenger Seating

ABSTRACT

A shopping cart with passenger seating comprising a body; a base extending from a bottom portion of the body, where the base and the body create an L-shape; a child seat at a top portion of the body; a handle at the top portion of the body; a passenger seat positioned above the base; a storage area beneath the passenger seat, where the storage area includes a storage surface atop the base, where the storage surface serves as a step for a seated user to mount the passenger seat; a container upon the storage surface, where the container allows a user to store their items while shopping; and a set of wheels fastened beneath the base, where the set of wheels enable the shopping cart with passenger seating to easily move from one place to another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shopping cart with seating toaccommodate seating for both a child and an additional passenger.

2. Description of Related Art

Shopping carts are staple items available at all grocery stores and manydepartment stores to assists shoppers with holding their items whilethey continue shopping. Most shopping carts include child seats to allowa small child or toddler to rest while the adult maneuvers the cart fromlocation to location. For some individuals shopping is difficult becausethey are in a wheelchair or have limited mobility. For users withlimited mobility motorized carts are often helpful. The motorized cartsenable the person to drive themselves around the store, and place theirgoods in a basket attached to the front of the cart. Unfortunately,wheelchair users have difficulties using both conventional shoppingcarts and motorized carts without assistance.

Recently, some developments and modifications have been made withshopping carts and wheelchairs to better assist wheelchair users. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,786 by George Ulics discloses a wheelchairshopping basket wherein a wheelchair includes a front basket to providea container for the user to store their grocery items while they areshopping. The basket attaches to the user's standard wheelchair and maybe removed when not in use. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,601 byKermit Berge discloses a shopping cart for the handicapped wherein awheeled frame mounts a basket to a front portion of the wheelchair. Thewheeled frame supports itself so that the user's chair does not have tosupport the additional weight.

While these adaptable baskets do assist some wheelchair users, manyothers are unable to shop due to their lack of independent physicalmobility. On the current market, a shopping cart that assists acaretaker when shopping with a physically disabled adult does not exist.Therefore it would be desirable in the art to provide a shopping cartwith seats to accommodate an adult passenger. It would also bebeneficial in the art to provide a cart with both adult and childseating.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, thegeneral purpose of the present invention is to provide a shopping cartwith passenger seating, configured to include all of the advantages ofthe prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a shoppingcart that includes seating for both a child and an adult passengerthereby assisting caretakers when shopping with individuals with limitedmobility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cartwith passenger seating wherein a storage area is positioned beneath theadult seat to allow the user to place and store their items whileshopping.

To achieve the above objects, in an aspect of the present invention, ashopping cart with passenger seating is disclosed comprising a body; abase extending from a bottom portion of the body, where the base and thebody create an L-shape; a child seat at a top portion of the body; ahandle at the top portion of the body; a passenger seat positioned abovethe base; a storage surface atop the base, where the storage surfaceserves as a step for a seated user to mount the passenger seat; acontainer upon the storage surface, where the container allows a user tostore their items while shopping; and a set of wheels fastened beneaththe base, where the set of wheels enable the shopping cart withpassenger seating to easily move from one place to another.

These together with other aspects of the present invention, along withthe various features of novelty that characterize the present invention,are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forma part of this present invention. For a better understanding of thepresent invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objectsattained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanyingdrawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become betterunderstood with reference to the following detailed description andclaims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a shopping cart with passengerseating in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention relates to a shopping cart with seating toaccommodate seating for both a child and an additional passenger. Thepresent invention provides a shopping cart with passenger seating tocombine the benefits of a shopping cart with the additional feature of awheelchair. The shopping cart with passenger seating includes a childseat at a top portion of the body to receive a child or toddler. On afront portion of the shopping cart is a passenger seat to enable anadditional passenger to rest. The passenger seat includes cushions,armrests and a seatbelt to secure the passenger in place. This isespecially useful for those passengers with limited mobility or physicaldisabilities to ensure that they do not fall from the passenger seat.Beneath the passenger seat is a storage area where the user may placetheir grocery or shopping items. The shopping cart with passengerseating enables a user to manually maneuver the shopping cart throughthe store with the added features of providing seating for their lovedones who are unable to shop without assistance.

Tuning now descriptively to the drawings, referring to FIG. 1, aperspective view of a shopping cart with passenger seating (100) isshown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. The shopping cart with passenger seating (100) includes abody (102) as the structural backing and frame support for the shoppingcart. The body (102) includes a base (104) that rests horizontally alongthe bottom portion of the body (102). The base (104) extends forwardfrom the body (102), at a rear portion of the shopping cart withpassenger seating (100), to the front portion. The body (102) and thebase (104) essentially create an L-shaped structure to comprise the mainportions of the shopping cart with passenger seating (100). The body(102) and the lower portion (104) may be made from a plastic, metal, ormetallic mesh material for durable yet lightweight construction.

Positioned at a top portion of the housing (102) is a child seat (106).The child seat (106) includes a seat (108) to receive the bottom of achild user. Rising from the child seat (106) at the side of the seat(108) positioned above where the body (102) meets the base (104) may bea backing (110). The backing (110) may be a backrest or angled supportfor the child user's back thereby allowing them to lean back whilesitting in the child seat (106). At an opposite portion of the seat(108) from where the backing (110) rises are a pair of leg holes (112).The pair of leg holes (112) receives the child user's legs while theyare seated. Against the lateral sides of the child seat (106) are a pairof side guards (114) to contain the child user and ensure that they donot fall from the body (102). The pair of side guards (114) may be arail, bar or wall to secure the child user within the child seat (106).While seated, the child user faces the user standing behind the body(102). Attached to the top portion of the body (102), above the pair ofleg holes (112), is a handle (116). The handle (116) is where the userplaces their hands to steer and maneuver the shopping cart withpassenger seating (100). The handle (116) may be covered with a softgrip material for additional comfort against the user's hands. The pairof leg holes (112) and the handle (116) may be a continuation orextension of the body (102) for structural stability.

Positioned at the front portion of the shopping cart with passengerseating (100), above the bottom support (104), is a passenger seat(118). The passenger seat (118) allows a seated user to rest while theuser is shopping. The seated user may be a person with disabilities whocannot walk or cannot support themselves for extended periods of time.The passenger seat (118) includes a seat support (120) extending fromthe body (102) parallel to the base (104). The seat support (120) may bemade from a strong metallic material to provide sufficient supportbeneath the seated user to ensure that the seat support (120) does notsag or bend during use. Additionally a pair of bars (not shown) mayconnect the seat support (120) to the base (104) to prevent bending andto add strength to the seat support (120).

Upon the seat support (120) may be a seat cushion (122) for a paddedsurface below where the seated user is sitting. Against a back portionof the passenger seat (118), extending up from where the seat cushion(122) meets the body (102), may be a back cushion (124). The backcushion (124) pads the seated user's back while resting on the passengerseat (118). The seat cushion (122) and the back cushion (124) may beremovable and may be secured to the seat support (120) and the body(102) with Velcro, snaps, clips and the like. The seat cushion (122) andthe back cushion (124) may be covered in a flexible plastic material ora durable cloth material for extended use.

The passenger seat (118) may include a seatbelt (128) fastened to theseat support (120) to secure the seated user upon the seat cushion(122). Also, the passenger seat (118) may have a pair armrests (126)attached to the lateral sides of the seat support (120). The armrests(126) prevent the seated user from leaning too far to the sides therebypreventing them from falling off the passenger seat (118). The armrests(126) may be padded for additional comfort.

Beneath the passenger seat (118), above the base (104), is a storagearea. The storage area includes a storage surface atop the base (104).The storage surface (130) may extend along the entire top portion of thebase (104). The storage surface (130) may also serve as a step for theseated user to utilize when mounting the passenger seat (118). At afront portion of the base (104) may be a foot rest (132) for the seateduser to place their feet. Resting upon the storage surface (130) may bea container (134). The container (134) may receive the user's groceryitems while they are shopping. The container (134) may be a wire orplastic basket, a plastic box or a net bag to contain the items on thestorage surface (130). The storage surface (130) may receive one or morecontainers (134). Alternatively, the container (134) may encompass theentire storage area.

Fastened beneath the base (104) are a set of wheels (136, 138). Beneatha front end of the base (104) are a pair of front wheels (136) andbeneath a back end of the base (104) are a pair a rear wheels (138). Thepair of front wheels (136) may be smaller than the pair of rear wheels(138) to assist the user when steering and maneuvering the shopping cartwith passenger seating (100).

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the presentinvention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilizethe invention and various embodiments with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated.

1. A shopping cart with passenger seating comprising: a body, where thebody provides structural support for the shopping cart; a base extendingfrom a bottom portion of the body, where the base and the body create anL-shape; a child seat at a top portion of the body, where the child seatcomprises: a seat to receive a child; a pair of leg holes at a topportion of the body, where the pair of leg holes receive the child'slegs; and a pair of side guards at the lateral portions of the seat,where the pair of side guards contain the child on the child seat; ahandle at the top portion of the body above the pair of leg holes; apassenger seat positioned above the base, where the passenger seatcomprises: a seat support extending from the body, positioned parallelto the base; a pair of armrests on the lateral portions of the seatsupport; and a seatbelt attached to the seat support to secure a seateduser in place; a storage area beneath the passenger seat, where thestorage area includes: a storage surface atop the base, where thestorage surface serves as a step for the seated user to mount thepassenger seat; and a container upon the storage surface, where thecontainer allows a user to store their items while shopping; and a setof wheels fastened beneath the base, where the set of wheels enable theshopping cart with passenger seating to easily move from one place toanother.
 2. The shopping cart with passenger seating according to claim1, wherein the child seat includes a backing to support a back of thechild.
 3. The shopping cart with passenger seating according to claim 1,wherein the chair support includes a seat cushion.
 4. The shopping cartwith passenger seating according to claim 3, wherein the body includes aback cushion, where the seat cushion and the back cushion providepadding for the seated user.
 5. The shopping cart with passenger seatingaccording to claim 1, wherein the pair of armrests are padded.
 6. Theshopping cart with passenger seating according to claim 1, wherein at afront portion of the base is a footrest for the seated user.
 7. Theshopping cart with passenger seating according to claim 1, wherein thestorage surface accepts more than one container.
 8. The shopping cartwith passenger seating according to claim 1, wherein the container isone of at least a basket, a box or a mesh bag.